The following parties have filed petitions to modify the
application of existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. Monterey Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-113-C]

Monterey Coal Company, 14300 Brushy Mound Road, Carlinville,
Illinois 62626 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.350 (Air courses and belt haulage entries) at its No. 1 Mine (MSHA
I.D. No. 11-00726) located in Macoupin County, Illinois. The petitioner
requests a modification of the existing standard to allow belt air to
be used to ventilate working places from a location inby the furthest
inby conveyor drive for the remaining length of the panels. The
petitioner states that during panel development, the location is inby
the main conveyor drive near the belt head, and during longwall mining,
the location is inby the tripper/booster drive, usually positioned not
greater than 8,000 feet inby the belt head. The petitioner proposes to
install a carbon monoxide monitoring system as an early warning fire
detection system in all belt entries used to course intake air to a
working place. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the
existing standard.

[[Page 1485]]

2. PC Contracting, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-114-C]

PC Contracting, Inc., P.O. Box 1630, Barbourville, Kentucky 40906
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.380(f)(4)(i) (Escapeways; bituminous and lignite mines) at its PC
2 Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 15-18304) located in Knox County,
Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use two ten-pound portable
chemical fire extinguishers in the operator's deck of each Mescher
tractor operated at the PC 2 mine. The petitioner states that
the equipment operator will inspect each fire extinguisher on a daily
basis prior to entering the primary escapeway. The petitioner further
states that a record of the daily inspection will be kept at the mine,
and a sufficient number of spare fire extinguishers will be maintained
at the mine in case a defective fire extinguisher is detected. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

3. PC Contracting, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-115-C]

PC Contracting, Inc., P.O. Box 1630, Barbourville, Kentucky 40906
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.342
(Methane monitors) at its PC 2 Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 15-18304)
located in Knox County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use hand-
held continuous-duty methane and oxygen indicators in lieu of machine
mounted methane monitors on three-wheel tractors with drag bottom
buckets. The petitioner has listed specific terms and conditions that
would be followed when implementing its proposed alternative method at
the PC 2 Mine. The petitioner asserts that this petition is
based on the safety of the miners and not primarily from an economic
standpoint and that the proposed alternative method provides no less
than the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

4. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-2002-116-C]

Energy West Mining Company, Box 310, 15 North Main, Huntington,
Utah 84528 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.701 (Grounding metallic frames, casings, and other enclosures of
electric equipment) at its Deer Creek Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 42-00121)
located in Emery County, Utah. This standard requires frames of
electric equipment to be grounded using approved methods. The
petitioner requests a modification of the standard to allow the
electrical grounding requirements for portable diesel-driven electric
generators to be waived based on the use of ground fault detection,
ground wire monitoring and other circuit protection means, such as
short circuit, overcurrent and undervoltage protection. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the
same measure of protection as the existing standard.

5. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-2002-117-C]

Energy West Mining Company, Box 310, 15 North Main, Huntington,
Utah 84528 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.901(a) (Protection of low- and medium-voltage three-phase circuits
used underground) at its Deer Creek Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 42-00121)
located in Emery County, Utah. This standard requires low- and medium-
voltage three-phase alternating-current circuits to contain either a
direct or a derived neutral which is grounded through a suitable
resistor at the power center. The petitioner requests a modification of
the standard to allow the electrical grounding requirements for
portable diesel-driven electric generators to be waived based on the
use of ground fault detection, ground wire monitoring, and other
circuit protection means, such as short circuit, overcurrent and
undervoltage protection. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as the existing standard.

6. Canyon Fuel Company, LLC

[Docket No. M-2002-118-C]

Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, HC 35 Box 380, Helper, Utah 84526-9804
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.507 (Power
connection points) at its Skyline Mine No. 3 (I.D. No. 42-01566)
located in Carbon County, Utah. The petitioner requests a modification
of the existing standard to allow the installation and use of a non-
permissible, 4,160-volt AC power submersible pump in a cased borehole
which penetrates an abandoned and sealed portion of the Skyline Mine
No. 3, Level 2 workings. The petitioner states that the pump will be
located above the roof horizon and the electrical components of the
pump will be separated from the atmosphere of the sealed and abandoned
area, and the pump will be under water continuously where water has
accumulated above the level of the roof up into the borehole. The
petitioner further states that the electrical equipment that provides
power to the pump is located on the surface. The petitioner asserts
that the use of a non-permissible pump will enhance the petitioner's
ability to control water levels in abandoned and sealed sections of the
mine; that application of the existing standard would result in a
diminution of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the
existing standard.

7. H & M Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-119-C]

H & M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 49.2
(Availability of mine rescue teams) at its Rocky top Mine (MSHA I.D.
No. 36-09072) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The
petitioner requests a modification of the standard to permit the
reduction of two mine rescue teams with five members and one alternate
each, to two mine rescue teams of three members with one alternate for
either team. The petitioner asserts that application of the existing
standard would result in a diminution of safety to the miners and that
the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure
of protection as the existing standard.

8. H & M Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-120-C]

H & M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100-
2(a) (Quantity and location of firefighting equipment) at its Rocky Top
Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09072) located in Schuylkill County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification of the standard to
permit use of portable fire extinguishers only to replace existing
requirements where rock dust, water cars, and other water storage
equipped with three (3) ten quart pails is not practical. The
petitioner proposes to use two (2) portable fire extinguishers near the
slope bottom, and an additional portable fire extinguisher within 500
feet of the working face for equivalent fire protection for the Rocky
Top Mine. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.

to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (Mine map) to its
Rocky Top Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09072) located in Schuylkill County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use cross-sections instead of
contour lines through the intake slope, at locations of rock tunnel
connections between veins, and at 1,000 foot intervals of advance from
the intake slope. The petitioner also proposes to limit the required
mapping of the mine workings above and below to those present within
100 feet of the vein being mined except those veins that are
interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit through rock
tunnels. The petitioner asserts that due to the steep pitch encountered
in mining anthracite coal veins, contours provide no useful information
and their presence would make portions of the map illegible. The
petitioner further asserts that use of cross-sections in lieu of
contour lines has been practiced since the late 1800's thereby
providing critical information relative to the spacing between veins
and proximity to other mine workings that fluctuate considerably. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

10. H & M Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-122-C]

H & M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202
and 30 CFR 75.1202-1(a) (Temporary notations, revisions, and
supplements) to its Rocky Top Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09072) located in
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to revise and
supplement mine maps annually instead of every 6 months as required,
and to update maps daily by hand notations. The petitioner also
proposes to conduct surveys prior to commencing retreat mining and
whenever either a drilling program under 30 CFR 75.388 or plan for
mining into inaccessible areas under 30 CFR 75.389 is required. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

Request for Comments

Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit
comments via e-mail to zzMSHA-Comments@dol.gov, or on a computer disk along
with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 1100 Wilson
Boulevard, Room 2352, Arlington, Virginia 22209. All comments must be
postmarked or received in that office on or before February 10, 2003.
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.